Reading Warrant Record Search
Reading warrant records are handled by the Reading Police Department and the Berks County Sheriff's Office. Reading is the county seat of Berks County and one of the larger cities in eastern Pennsylvania. Both city police and county officers serve warrants in Reading. You can search for active warrants through the state court portal, the Berks County warrants unit, or anonymous tip lines. This page walks through each option and how to use it.
Reading Police Warrant Service
The Reading Police Department serves municipal court warrants throughout the city. The department is at 815 Washington Street, Reading, PA 19601. The main phone number is (610) 655-6116.
Officers serve warrants during routine patrols and planned operations. The department runs warrant sweeps on a regular basis. These involve teams of officers going to known addresses to serve multiple warrants at once. Community policing efforts also help the department track down people with active warrants.
The Reading Police coordinate with the Berks County Sheriff on county-level warrants. When a warrant is issued by the Court of Common Pleas, the Sheriff's Office takes the lead. But city police can still make arrests on those warrants during their own operations.
For anonymous tips about wanted persons in Reading, call Crime Alert Berks County at (877) 373-9913. Tips can be left without giving your name.
Berks County Sheriff Warrants
The Berks County Sheriff Warrants Unit manages warrant service at the county level. The office is at 633 Court Street, 3rd Floor, Reading, PA. You can call (610) 478-6240 for the warrants unit. The fugitive information line is (610) 478-6390.
The Sheriff also posts a Most Wanted list. This list shows people with serious outstanding warrants in Berks County. You can view it on the county website. If you have information about a wanted person, call the fugitive line or submit a tip through Crime Alert Berks County.
The warrants unit serves bench warrants, arrest warrants, and body attachments. Bench warrants are the most common. They are issued when someone misses a court date or fails to comply with a court order. The unit works closely with the Adult Probation Office on cases involving probation violations.
Note: The Sheriff's Office covers all of Berks County, not just Reading. Warrants from any court in the county go through this office.
Warrant Records in Reading
The Berks County Sheriff's warrants unit and Adult Probation Office work together on warrant enforcement. The county website provides contact details and fugitive information.
Visit the Berks County courthouse in person if you need to check on a specific warrant. Bring a valid photo ID. Staff can look up cases and provide next steps.
How to Search Reading Warrants
There are several ways to look up warrant records in Reading.
- Search the UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us by name or case number
- Call the Berks County Sheriff Warrants Unit at (610) 478-6240
- Call the Reading Police at (610) 655-6116
- Visit the Berks County courthouse at 633 Court Street in Reading
- Submit an anonymous tip to Crime Alert Berks County at (877) 373-9913
The UJS Portal is free. It shows case type, party names, charges, and status for all Berks County courts. You will not see the full warrant document online. For copies of the actual warrant or affidavit, contact the court clerk or file a Right-to-Know request.
Under Pa.R.Crim.P. 150, arrest warrant affidavits become public once the warrant is served. Search warrant affidavits may remain sealed during an open investigation per Pa.R.Crim.P. 513.
Reading Public Records Access
The City of Reading follows the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law for public records. The city's records policy spells out what is and is not available.
Arrest warrant affidavits must be disclosed once the warrant has been served. Crime reports, death reports, and accident reports are public records. Conviction records are also public. However, police investigative reports are not public while a case is open. 911 tapes are exempt from disclosure under the law.
To request records, file a Right-to-Know request with the city. If the request is denied, you can appeal to the state Office of Open Records. The state office reviews appeals and can order the release of records if the denial was improper.
Note: Some warrant records may take longer to obtain if the case is still active. The agency has five business days to respond to a request.
Types of Reading Warrants
Courts in Reading and Berks County issue several kinds of warrants. Each has its own legal basis and process.
Arrest warrants require a sworn affidavit. A judge reviews the facts and decides if there is probable cause. If approved, officers can take the named person into custody. The Reading Police and Berks County Sheriff both serve these warrants.
Bench warrants come from a judge. They are issued when a person fails to show up for court or does not follow a court order. These are very common in Reading. The Sheriff's warrants unit handles most bench warrant service in Berks County.
Search warrants let officers search a place for evidence. A judge must sign off based on an affidavit. Under Pennsylvania law, the search must happen within 48 hours per Pa.R.Crim.P. 205(A)(4). After the search, the officer must file a return listing what was found.
State Warrant Search Tools
Pennsylvania provides state-level tools that cover Reading and Berks County cases. The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the main search tool. It is free to use and covers all courts in the state.
The PATCH system at epatch.pa.gov runs criminal background checks. These reports show convictions and may include pending warrant information. The state code at Pa.R.Crim.P. 150 sets the rules for when warrant affidavits become public.
Berks County Warrant Records
Reading is the county seat of Berks County. All felony trials, appeals, and county-level warrants go through the Berks County Court of Common Pleas. For a full overview of county warrant records, Sheriff operations, and other lookup options, see the Berks County warrant records page.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Other Pennsylvania cities maintain their own warrant records. Select a city below for details on warrant lookups in that area.